I have learned that papier-mâché can be an outstanding artistic medium for creating lightweight and durable costume pieces such as masks and hats!  

Here is the "recipe" for the Commedia dell'Arte masks that we built using a basic paper mask as our base.

Ingredients:

• Full Face Paper Masks

• Wood Glue (1 cup)

• Water (1/4 cup)

• Brown Kraft Paper (OR Blue Shop Towels*)

• Small Paintbrush

• Foam Clay

• Aluminum Foil

• Hot Glue

• Paint, other accessories

The Process:

1. Start with your base build.  Cut paper mask as needed with scissors.  Use aluminum foil and hot glue to build any large features such as noses or bold eyebrows. 

2. Next, add your more delicate features to the mask.  We used Cosplay foam clay purchased from Amazon for this, but I have also used other foam clay such as Crayola's Model Magic. I prefer foam over traditional clay because of its weight. Form clay over aluminum builds as well to build a fluid seamless base. Try to avoid any gaps.

3. Mix wood glue with water.

4. Tear your paper (or paper towels) into small pieces (approx. 1 cm.). The smaller the project and more delicate the features, the smaller your pieces.

5. Casting: Using your paintbrush, dip and apply glue mixture to mask. Wet mask with brush, apply kraft paper, then wet paper. Continue this process until all edges are smooth and area is covered.

6. Allow to dry. Dry time varies depending on layers of paper.  

7. Paint and accessorize!

*"Choosing the Paper" section below

For larger projects such as our Elephant puppet (Boris) that we built for Around the World in 80 Days, you will follow much of the same process as above, except use larger materials for your build.

Here is the "recipe" for large projects:

Ingredients:

• Cardboard (all kinds from cereal boxes to Amazon boxes)

• Insulation Foam

• Wood Glue (3 parts)

• Water (1 part)

• Brown Kraft Paper 

• Medium and Large Paintbrushes

• Aluminum Foil

• Hot Glue

• All Purpose Adhesive Caulk (for insulation foam)

• Carpet knife or heat knife (for insulation foam)

• Pool noodles

• Duct tape, Scotch 2517 tape

• Fabric, Paint, other accessories

• Wood*

The Process:

1. Start with your base build.  (For the elephant, I started with a one dimensional shape of an elephant head and ears using foam board. Then, I built a skeleton-like frame from more foam and adhesive to support the cardboard that I would lay over next.  The build was essentially hollow.) I also secured my PVC post I would use to hold the puppet during this step.

2. Then I cut and shaped cardboard to lay over the foam frame.  Thicker cardboard (Amazon boxes) works better for larger pieces, thinner cardboard (cereal boxes) works better for smaller features. Use hot glue and tape to secure the cardboard to the frame. Try to avoid any gaps and holes, cover with tape. I also secured the tube that would hold the elephant trunk during this step.

3. Next, add your more detailed features to the build using pool noodles, aluminum foil, or anything else really! I used pool noodles to create the contours around the eyes as well as the eyes, and folded duct tape to create the eye lids. 

4. Mix wood glue with water.

5. Tear your paper into medium pieces (approx. 5 inches long). The smaller the project and more delicate the features, the smaller your pieces, so you may need smaller pieces on areas like I did around the eyes. You may also want to cut your paper into strips if you are working on a project that is more "man-made" than natural. For example, to replicate wood siding, the strips of paper would appear more like wood due to its sharp lines and edges.  The torn paper blends better and works for more natural themed projects like animals.

6. Casting: Using your paintbrush, dip and apply glue mixture to build. Wet the build with brush, apply kraft paper, then wet paper. Continue this process until all edges are smooth and area is covered and completely sealed.

7. I opted to add a layer of fabric after my casting step to give extra texture.  I casted strips of fabric to the elephant just like I casted the tears of paper.

8. Allow to dry. Dry time varies depending on layers of paper.  

9. Paint and Accessorize! 

*Depending on your project, you might want to use wood or PVC to build a structured base. Then apply cardboard or foam board as needed to this more hefty, secure base. See here, how I used a wood frame for our Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car prop. It had to support four actors inside, so while lightweight was desired, hefty was required.

You will learn that my recipe is pretty consistent with every project. Especially the glue!  However, one of the biggest decisions I make with each project is whether to use brown kraft paper or blue shop towels.  Here is what I have learned working with both:

Kraft paper will dry quickly and create a very stiff, tough cast on your projects.  It will take less paint but edges will be more visible and faintly rougher. 

Blue shop towels create a more flexible cast, but will take longer to dry.  Edges of the shop towels will blend more seamlessly, and you can even break down the fibers more with your fingers to achieve this.  However, the towels will give your project a texture due to the fibers in the towel. Paint may also soak in, so you will probably need more than one coat or a primer coat. Shop towels are easier and faster to manipulate when you are working with smaller details. 

Or try out both! Notice when working on Hiccup's helmet, I used the brown craft paper to achieve that tough leather helmet look, but I was on a tight schedule to take the time to wrap the paper around the spikes.  I could have achieved it, (as you can see on our Commedia masks, small details are possible, but it's just timely because you really have to saturate the paper) I had only one afternoon to cast the helmet, so paper towels it was!

Want a smoother finish?  Add a layer of Joint Compound (yes, like the compound you use with drywall) over your finished and dried brown Kraft paper recipe. This also can help smooth out some unsightly creases or builds in your base. 

Allow to dry and then sand! (But prepare for lots of sanding and multiple coats if you want a fully smooth surface). I liked the "dented look" for Don Quixote's infamous Mambrino's Helmet, so I left it after one coat and one sanding. 

BEWARE though, this layer may crack on you under pressure. Our helmet got hairline cracks during travel, but never chipped away, so it never needed repairs.